India, Jan. 7 -- Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains announced on Wednesday (January 7) that schools will remain closed until January 13 due to the increasing cold and fog in the state.

This will be applicable to all government, aided, recognised and private schools, the minister said.

All schools will reopen on January 14, he added.

Temperatures dropped to under 5 degrees Celsius in parts of Haryana and Punjab, the weather office told PTI on Wednesday.

According to the report, Bathinda was the coldest place in Punjab, with a low of 4.6 degrees Celsius, while Amritsar recorded a minimum temperature of 7.5 degrees, Ludhiana 6.6 degrees, Patiala 7.1 degrees, and Gurdaspur recorded a minimum of 5.7 degrees Celsius.

The minimum ...